New Rules: Non-9th, 10th Assembly Members Can't Be Senate President

Ahead of the 11th National Assembly expected in June 2027, the 10th Senate has amended the rules of the Red Chamber, narrowing the scope of eligibility for senators-elect seeking principal and presiding officer positions.

The amendment, which followed a closed-door session lasting about three hours, revised Orders 4 and 5 of the Senate Standing Rules, which appear to restrict eligibility for senators-elect who were not part of the 9th and 10th Senate, including figures such as Senator Hope Uzodimma, Senator Kabiru Marafa and Senator Adams Oshiomhole.

The amended Order 4 now provides that nomination of senators to serve as presiding officers shall be based strictly on ranking and must be adhered to accordingly.

It states that the order of ranking includes: (i) former President of the Senate, (ii) former Deputy President of the Senate, (iii) former principal officers of the Senate, (iv) senators who have served at least one term of four years, (v) former members of the House of Representatives, (vi) in the absence of the above, first-time senators.

The ranking structure significantly narrows eligibility for newly elected senators seeking leadership positions in the 11th Senate.

In addition, the Senate further strengthened the restriction through an amendment to Order 5, which bars fresh entrants from contesting principal officer positions unless they meet additional experience requirements.

The amended provision states: “Any senator shall not be eligible to contest for any principal office of the Senate unless he has served as a senator for at least two consecutive terms immediately preceding nomination.”

This implies that Senators who were not part of the 9th and 10th Senate would be ineligible to contest for presiding or principal positions in the 11th Senate.

Presiding Officer positions in the Senate include the President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate. In contrast, Principal Officer positions comprise the Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip.